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PODCAST

Instant Genius

Whether you’re curious about getting healthy, the Big Bang or the science of cooking, find out everything you need to know with Instant Genius. The team behind BBC Science Focus Magazine talk to world-leading experts to bring you a bite-sized masterclass on a new subject each week. New episodes are released every Monday and Friday and you can subscribe to Instant Genius on Apple Podcasts to access all new episodes ad-free and all old episodes of Instant Genius Extra. Watch full episodes of Instant

science

All Episodes

38:23

How catastrophes have shaped the world as we know it

Instant Genius ·

2025/05/08

The history of the Earth is littered with dramatic events that have shaped the planet itself and the lives of the human beings who live on it in profound ways. Be it floods, famine or disease pandemics. Human beings have so far survived. But what in modern times can we learn from these past catastrophes? In this episode, we speak to author Lizzie Wade about her latest book Apocalypse: How Catastrophe Transformed Our World and Can Forge New Futures. She tells us how even though Neanderthals died

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35:11

How mathematics shapes human creativity

Instant Genius ·

2025/05/04

It’s commonly believed that the arts and the sciences have little in common with each other. The distinction that’s most frequently made is that the arts are creative in nature whereas the sciences are logical. But this couldn’t be further from the truth. In this episode, we catch up with mathematician and author Marcus du Sautoy to talk about his latest book Blueprints: How mathematics shapes creativity. He tells us how, fundamentally, mathematics is the study of patterns, structure and

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32:24

How climate change impacts the world’s most...

Instant Genius ·

2025/05/01

When think about climate change, we may think about global temperatures escalating, extreme weather events occurring more and more and sea levels rising. But what effect is all of this actually having on the everyday lives of the world’s population, especially those that are most vulnerable?In this episode, we speak to Dr Friederike Otto about her latest book Climate Injustice: Why We Need to Fight Global Inequality to Combat Climate Change. She tells us how facts and evidence and are vital if we

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37:35

How future materials will help save the planet

Instant Genius ·

2025/04/27

Everywhere we look we’re surrounded by materials of all kinds – from the fabrics we use to make our clothing, to the bricks and mortar we use to build our homes and places of work, to the complex transistors and circuits we use to build our digital devices. Life as we known it simply wouldn’t be possible without them. But what will the materials of the future look like?In this episode, we catch up with Mark Miodownik, professor of materials and society based at University College London,

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38:08

How we can engineer humans for life beyond Earth

Instant Genius ·

2025/04/24

Like it or not, Earth won’t be our home forever. Whether it’s climate collapse, nuclear war, or the slow death of the Sun, life on this planet is on borrowed time. So, what happens next? If we’re serious about avoiding extinction, we’ll need to look not just beyond Earth – but far beyond our Solar System.Our guest today believes we not only can do that, but that we must. Christopher Mason is a Professor of Physiology and Biophysics at Weill Cornell Medicine and author of The Next 500 Years:

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42:33

What contraception is doing to our bodies – and what...

Instant Genius ·

2025/04/20

Millions of people around the globe pop a daily pill or live with pieces of metal or plastic inside their bodies, all to avoid getting pregnant. But while we know our contraception works, many of us don’t know much else about it. In this episode, we speak to Kate Muir, a woman’s health expert, documentary maker, journalist and author, whose book about hormonal contraception – Everything You Need to Know About the Pill (but were too afraid to ask) – inspired this conversation. She tells us about

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37:22

How to hack your brain to make better decisions

Instant Genius ·

2025/04/17

Every day we’re presented with hundreds if not thousands of decisions: What do we want for breakfast? Should we call our mothers or spend time with our friends? Should we go out for a workout or watch TV and eat snacks?Of course, some of the choices we make are more significant than others and can have huge impacts on our lives. But what do these decisions say about us and how can we try to make better choices? In this episode, we catch up with neuroscientist and professor of communication at the

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32:01

Everything you need to know before heading off to see...

Instant Genius ·

2025/04/13

These days many of us have a bucket list, a set of experiences we’d like to have at least once in our lives. Seeing the Northern Lights with our own eyes is likely top of many of these. But what is the best way to ensure that when we do take a trip to see this mysterious, ghostly phenomenon we have a genuinely once-in-a-lifetime experience?In this episode we speak to Tom Kerss an aurora chaser, astronomer and author of the book Northern Lights: The definitive guide to auroras about the best way to

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33:45

Why a healthy ocean is vital for the survival of the...

Instant Genius ·

2025/04/10

The ocean covers more than 70 per cent of our planet’s surface. Thanks to its ability to absorb the excess carbon and heat generated by climate change, its potential to generate clean energy and the bountiful source of food it provides to both humans and animals, there’s little doubt the ocean is vital for the continued survival of the human race and of the planet itself. But all is not well. Ocean temperatures are climbing, coastal water levels are rising, and extreme weather events are becoming

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25:21

Food science: Why fermentation is the future of food

Instant Genius ·

2025/04/06

Humans have been fermenting foods for millennia, due to the process’s ability to enhance the flavours of what we eat and preserve it for when times are lean. Now, new science is uncovering how eating fermented food is beneficial for both our physical and mental health and how it may possibly play a key role in the food of the future by creating a source of alternative protein.In this episode we speak to Rodrigo Ledesma-Amaro, Director of the Bezos Centre for Sustainable Protein and the Microbial

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28:43

The science behind the stunning phenomenon of the...

Instant Genius ·

2025/04/03

The Northern Lights are surely one of the most awe-inspiring phenomena anyone can be lucky enough to witness occurring on planet Earth. But how exactly do solar winds breezing out of the Sun and hitting our planet’s atmosphere create the enchanting phosphorescent display that dances across the night sky?In this episode we speak to Tom Kerss an aurora chaser, astronomer and author of the book Northern Lights: The definitive guide to auroras about the science behind the breathtaking phenomenon of

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32:28

Food Science: How to become an expert baker through...

Instant Genius ·

2025/03/30

Baking can be hard. Measurements need to be exact and techniques perfected. But with the right tricks and by understanding the science of baking, you can become the envy of your friends with the perfect loafs and cakes. Part of our Food Science series, we spoke to Cristiana Solinas. She is the head of the National Bakery School at London South Bank University. She talks us through the science of how to make good sourdough, why your loaves are coming out too dry and busts the biggest science myths in

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27:13

The biggest unsolved mysteries of the quantum realm

Instant Genius ·

2025/03/28

This year quantum physics celebrates its 100th anniversary. And while we’ve made great progress in understanding its many intricacies and quirks, it’s likely that quantum behaviour will continue to fascinate and beguile scientists around the world for years to come.In this episode we speak to Prof Jim Al-Khalili, a theoretical physicist based at the University of Surrey, author of several best-selling books and the long-time presenter of BBC Radio 4’s The Life Scientific. He tells us about the

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36:49

Food Science: The fascinating science of cheesemaking

Instant Genius ·

2025/03/24

Whether it’s the crowning glory on the top of a pizza Margherita, layered between two pieces of bread in a sandwich laced with pickle, or simply enjoyed by itself at the end of a meal, many of us adore cheese. But how exactly is it made, what gives it its distinct flavour and how can we make so many different varieties? In this episode, we speak to Bronwen Percival, a cheese buyer for Neal's Yard Dairy in London, co-founder of the website MicrobialFoods.org and author of the book Reinventing the

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34:05

How birds’ bizarre mating rituals have played a key...

Instant Genius ·

2025/03/21

Be it the extravagant displays of peacocks fanning their tails, the beautiful, complex song of nightingales or the meticulous art installation-like structures built by bouwerbirds, the animal kingdom filled with a huge variety of fascinating mating rituals. But more than being mere quirks of evolution, these behaviours play a significant role in driving the process itself. In this episode, we catch up with science writer and best-selling author Matt Ridley to talk about his latest book, Birds, Sex

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25:26

Food Science: How eating chocolate boosts your brain,...

Instant Genius ·

2025/03/17

Chocolate has a reputation. It is sugary and bad for you. But in its purest form, it can be beneficial to your health. As part of our Food Science series, we spoke to Megan Povey, a physicist at the University of Leeds who specialises in food processing. They explain how chocolate is made, the benefits it can have on your health and what separates good and bad chocolate. This episode is brought to you in association with EIT Food https://www.eitfood.eu/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit

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29:22

Why OCD is a serious, debilitating mental condition,...

Instant Genius ·

2025/03/14

We all experience distressing or intrusive thoughts at some point in our lives but for around two to three per cent of us these can be incredibly difficult to ignore and can begin to have a significant debilitating effect on our lives. Clinically this is known as obsessive compulsive disorder or OCD – a condition that many of us will have heard of but few understand. In this episode, we speak to Dr Marjan Biria, a psychologist and neuroscientist based at University College London. She tells us

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34:09

How truth and honesty are key to tackling the climate...

Instant Genius ·

2025/03/10

Despite decades of international climate summits, the ongoing work of various campaign groups and open letters signed by some of the world’s most prominent scientists highlighting the crucial need for action, carbon emissions, biodiversity loss and sea level rises are still going up across the globe. So, what are we getting wrong?In this episode, we speak to leading researcher and author Mike Berners-Lee about his latest book A Climate of Truth, Why We Need it and How to Get It. He argues that

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29:31

How to combat uncertainty in a post-truth world

Instant Genius ·

2025/03/07

These days we’re bombarded with information and claims that purport to explain almost every conceivable aspect of our lives, be it down to the bold assertions made by policymakers, the confidence of anonymity afforded by social media or just our natural human inclination to be fooled by a well-spoken know-it-all. But exactly who are the people making these claims, how do they reach their conclusions, and really, can anyone ever actually be certain about anything?In this episode, we catch up with

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26:55

How AI is helping us to understand how our brains learn

Instant Genius ·

2025/03/03

The human brain is surely one of the most complex and fascinating creations in all of nature. It’s through them that we experience the world around us, develop knowledge and skills, and carry within us memories of events and experiences that occurred decades in the past, which we can later draw on to face new challenges.But when it comes to understanding exactly what is going on between our ears, we’re only just starting to scratch the surface. Could artificial intelligence technology help us in

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